How AC/DC's "Hells Bells" Helped a Soldier Survive

4 years ago

Michael Durant, an Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot, says that an AC/DC classic helped keep him alive when he was held captive by Somalis. The mission that Durant was a part of became the basis for the film, Black Hawk Down.

While in captivity, Durant said he heard an aircraft. He says that when you hear an aircraft as a prisoner, you wonder if they know where you are. Darant tells the story:

“Then I hear this ‘Bong.’ and the beginning of Hell’s Bells. It was an incredible moment. They had loudspeakers attached to this Black Hawk and they were flying around broadcasting. The hope was that I would hear. Immediately following the song I hear this voice: ‘Mike, we won’t leave here without you.’ It’s something I’ll never forget.”

The clip comes from a documentary titled AC/DC: Beyond the Thunder which tells the story of how AC/DC has influenced our culture.